The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-02-24
THE MYSTERIES OF MoRMoNIsM.
The Sights Seen by a Converted Jewish
Rabbi-PIaces of worship,

- hloAlOI W ILLS
city, is Il. Wad-el-Ward, a converted
Jewish rabbi from Palestine. He is per-
hape 80 years of age and is a member Of
the tribe of Levi. He has more of an
Arabic cast of features than of Hebrew,
has a swarthy complexion and piercing
black eyes, while his figure is slender and
wiry.
''Since my conversion to the Christian
faith, sixteen years ago." said he in per-
feet English to reporter yesterday, 81
have Travelled over nearly every portion
of the globe, preaching the cause of
Christ and learning the traits, customs,
and languages of all nations. On my
way to California stopped at Salt Lake
City, where [ remained about six weeks
as the guest of some Mormon apostles
whom / had met in Jerusalem, my native
civ. visited ali of the important places
in 5Iormondom, stopped with the people
/ themselves. and learned all / could. 1
must say that l found many things which
were obnoxious to me, more especially
| the l-tter-dav revelations of Joseph Smith
! concerning the descent of the first apos-
/ ties from Joseph. However, the people
certainly acted in very hOspitable and
/ coT-co:ss manner toward me. When [
went here | made up my mind to put
asida all prejudice. and not allow any
| thing l had ever heard against them to
! interfere i'll any way with my Judgment
! of their character and customs. l re-
solved to see and decide for myself. On
two occasions met President Taylor and
John Q. Cannon, who are still in hiding
from the minions of the law, as you
know. / found them courteous and will
ing to give me all the information which
desired.
Something about the temples? Oh,
yes, certainly. They are invariably built
facing east and west. In entering one of
them you come into corridor, or outer
chamber, where you are requested to re-
move your shoes. You are then led into
another chamber ON the right, called the
men department. Directly opposite is the
women's department. Connected with
these rooms are small bathrooms, where
you are instructed to battle yourself, for
you are not allowed to carry the, dust and
dirt of the outer world into the sacred pre-
Cincts of the temple. You are then taken
into the LAYER room, which is an oblong
square in shape. Here you see a huge
bronze font, weighing nearly four tons
and measuring about fifteen feet long by
seven feet wide. 1t is supported on
twelve bronze oxen in life size, and alto
gether is a magnificent work of art. In
this room you are baptized, either for
yourself or for some dead relative or
friend. A Mormon, you know, can be
Il 10 fo,- &lo
good of some dear one in the spirit
world. In the marriage scenes, however.
the baptism is for the contracting parties
ONLY. Adjoining the laver room is a second
bathroom of small proportions, where the
amounting ceremony takes place. Your
clothing, of course. IS removed. and,
commencing with the crown of your
head, every part and member of your
body is anointed with sacred oil. must
admit that this was not after the usual
Hebrew manner, and was naturally very
distasteful to me.
after the candidate has been anointed
the endowment robes are put on him.
These consist of a combination suit of
mdershirt and drawers, made in one
piece which are to be worn by the can
didate day and night, and are never to be
taken off except to be replaced imme-
diately by fresh suit of the same kind.
White caps are also furnished for the
male candidates, which make them look
more Ike French pastry cooks than any
thing else. In addition to these big
apron of white linen, silk, or wooden ma
terial, with a green fig leaf in front.
The women wear the same kind of robes,
with plain white overdresseS and aprons
of smaller size, but of the same shape,
design and material as those worn by
the men. When the candidates have
been completely costumed after the man.
her have described they are led into
still another room, which is called para
disc, and | frankly confess that have
never been in any room or garden that
so nearly resembled my ideas of real
paradise as that one did. Magnificent
oil paintings of flowers, birds, trees, and
every form of animal and vegetable life
were to be seen everywhere. They were
works Of art, too, that would not disgrace
the walls of any academy or salon. Here
the ceremony of the expulsion from the
Garden of Eden occurs, after which the
(ttliulOdlSS dIt COIluuClGtl ~ d41OlUSI
room called the world, which is also
handsomely decorated and furnished. I
have not the time, and 1 doubt if you
have the space, to give full description
of all these ceremonies, which may be
characterized as very solemn rigmaroles.
When all that have told you has been
gone through with the party begins to as
Cend, and is taken to the room of the
dead, a perfect gem of architecture, and
finer and more elaborate than any of the
chapels in the TagMahal or the Alham-
bra. In this room occurs the ceremony
Of the endowment for eternity, or for the
dead. When this is over you are led to
the last room, the holy of holes, where
you are given the grips and signs of the
Aaronic and MelchiSedec priesthoods.
This rite to me was most distasteful.-
San Francisco Chronicle.
The CannibaIs of New Guinea.
T1,oeo - 81